In order to illustrate the Taoist concept of interdependence, Ames presents an analysis of the philological histories of the words tao and te demonstrating the existence of a polar rather than dualistic relationship between the two terms. As an alternative to Western thought, Ames suggests that their polar relationship may provide an ecological ethos having significant implications on human responsibility toward the environment. In what has become known as simply Taoism, Ames reintroduces te in order to draw out key concepts such as coextensive participation, the idea of transformative change.